Combined journal box seal and cover retainer



Aprifi 2, 342 Q. M. HANNAFORE) v COMBI NED JOURNAL BOX SEAL AND CQVER RETAXNER INVENTOR 6/ /7 Hwr/mfard Filed May 8, 1941 Patented Apr. 28, 1942 COMBINED JOURNAL BOX snAL AND coves nn'rAmEn Cleou M. Hannaford, Toledo, Ohio; Marie L.

Hannaford executrix of said Cleon M. Hannaford, deceased Application May a, 1941, Serial No. 392,517

(01. cos-45) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to journal box sealing means and cover retainer construction and more particularly to means for sealing journal'boxes of railway rolling stock.

The invention comprehends the provision of a sealing means arranged between the journal box and lid construction which will provide an effective seal under all weather conditions to exclude sand, dust, water, snow, ice, and other foreign matters from the journal box as well as prevent escape of lubricant therefrom.

The invention has for an object the provision of a combination sealing means for a journal box opening and cover retainer formed of one piece of sheet metal and arranged to be effectively locked or secured to the journal box so as to prevent surreptitious removal of the sealing means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combination sealing means and journal box cover retainer of spring tempered metal construction so as to effect easy assembly of the sealing means with a journal box without the use of special tools.

Still another object of the provision of a combined journal box sealing means and cover retainer which may bev applied to standard size journal boxes now in use without any modification or refabrication of the journal box or cover structure.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational sectional view through a journal box illustrating my invention incorporated therein;

' Figure 2 is a projected end view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with the journal box cover broken away illustrating the combined sealing means and lid holder of my invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank of the sealing means and lid holder before the same is formed into final configuration.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Ill designates the journal box of a railway car having an upper wall ll contacting a wedge plate l2, the

datea dust guard l8 fabricated of wood or other suitable material. The lower part of the journal box beneath the axle I4 is filled with cotton waste. or other suitable lubricant retaining material which is saturated with lubricant and through its contact with the car axle l4 conveys the lubricant to the axle engaging bearing surface of the bearing brass I3.

The forward portion of the journal box is provided with a substantially rectangular opening providing a means for introducing the waste 20 and suitable lubricant into the interior of the journal box. Integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the journal box or housing it is a boss-like portion 23 having spaced cylindrical portions 24 and 25 and a non-circular central portion 26. The portions 24, 25 and 25 are bored to receive a shaft 28 which serves to support a lid, closure or cover 29, the latter having cylindrical portions 30 which surround the shaft 28 forming a hinge connection therewith, the lid being shown broken away in Figures 1 and 2. The shaft 28 in the form of the invention' shown is held in place by means of a split key 34 extending through an opening in shaft 28 as shown in Figure 2 to retain the shaft in place. A member 32 has a portion connected to the cover 29 and a second portion overtaking the portion 26 intermediate the cylindrical boss-like portions 24 and 25, the member 32 serving to hold the cover 29 in open position when it is desired to obtain access to the journal box. The journal box it), cover 29 and member 32 are of conventional design. The journal box may be cast as a separate unit or cast integrally with the truck side frame.

The combined journal box sealing means and lid holder or retainer of -my invention is shown in developed plan view in Figure 4 being formed of sheet metal to the configuration illustrated. In the developed view the blank is provided with inwardly projecting ears 35, 36 and 31, laterally projecting ear portions 38, 39 and 40, and at one edge with rectangular shaped projections 4|, 42, and extending from projections 4| and 42 are portions 43 and 44 having central openings 45, 46. After the blank illustrated in Figure 4 has been bent or formed to" the proper configuration as shown in' Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, producing the sealing means and lid retainer, the ears and 36 are formed at their extremity with hook-like portions 49 which take over lugs or bosses 50 formed onthe interior wall of the journal box housing l0, as particularly illustrated in Figure 1. The inwardly extending projection 31, as illustrated in Figure 1, takes over the curved wall of the journal box while the projection 49 is formed to the curvature of the exterior forward portion of the journal box as shown in Figure 1. The rectangular projections 4| and 42 are bent around the exterior curved surfaces of the bosses 24 and 25 and the annular portions 43 and 44 bent to the position indicated in Figure 2, the openings 45 and 46 in said portions accommodating the passage of shaft 28 therethrough. Thus the projections 31, 49 and the annular projections 43 and 44 in conjunction with the shaft 28 hold the sealing means in position on the journal box as indicated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. In the manufacture of the arrangement of my invention after the sheet metal has been configurated and formed to the finished sealing means and lid retainer as shown in Figure 1, the entire structure is suitably heat treated and tempered to give the proper spring or resiliency so that the projections 35, 38 and 31 resiliently hold or lock the sealing means in position on the journal box as indicated in Figure 1.

The projections 38 and 39 are configurated to the contour shown in Figure 3 having the converging portions 52 and 53 arranged to take over the lateral edge portions of the journal box cover 29 as shown in Figure 3 and, through the resiliency or "spring of the tempered metal at the loop portions 55 and 56. are suificiently resilient to permit the lid portion 29 to be opened against the tension of the projections 38 and 39, yet the latter have sulficient tension that when the lid is in closed position, as indicated in Figure 3, the lid 29 will be held or maintained in tightly closed position. The portions 51, 58, 59 and 60 indicated in the developed blank of Figure 4 are bent as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in the finished sealing means to a U-shaped sectional configuration as shown at 51', 58', 59' and 60' forming an enclosed configuration which takes over the entire periphery of the journal box housing defining the opening therein and forming a sealing means bethe projections 38 and 39 outwardly to permit passage of the lid to the position as indicated in Figure 3, the resiliency or spring tension in projections 38 and 39 serving to hold the lid in sealed position, that is against the exterior surfaces of the U-shaped portions 51258, 59 and 60' of the sealing device. Thus with the journal box lid in closed position I have provided in one element a seal which willprevent the ingress of any foreign matter into the journal box and at the same time retain the journal box lid or cover in sealing position. As previously indicated, the one-piece arrangement of my invention permits its ready assembly with journal box and lid constructions of conventional standard design without necessity of any modification of these parts.

-It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A combined journal box sealing means and cover retainer iormed with a configuration arranged to fit over the periphery of a journal box opening, said sealing means having a plurality of resilient projections arranged to extend interiorly of a journal box to secure said sealing means in position, a plurality of forwardly projecting resilient ear portions arranged to engage and resiliently retain a journal box lid in closed position, and a pair of ear portions integrally formed on the sealing means and cover retainer arranged to be engaged by the journal box cover retaining means.

2. A combined journal box sealing means and cover retainer having a U-shaped configuration arranged to fit over the periphery oi a journal box opening, said sealing means having a plurality of resilient projections arranged to extend interiorly of a journal box to secure said sealing means in position, and means formed on said sealing means to engage and resiliently retain a journal box cover in closed position.

3. In combination with a journal box havin an opening, a closure for the journal box opening; of a sealing means having a U-shaped section fitting the walls of said opening, said sealing means having a plurality of projections extending inwardly of the journal box and in engagement with the walls thereof, and means formed on said sealing means and arranged to engage and retain the journal box closure in closed position.

4. In combination with a journal box having an opening, a closure for the journal box opening; of a sealing means having a U-shaped section fitting the walls of said opening, said sealing means having a plurality of projections extending inwardly of the journal box and in engagement with the walls thereof, and a pair 0! ears projecting from said sealing means and arranged it? engage and retain the closure in closed posi- 5. A combined journal box sealing means and lid retainer formed of a single sheet of metal,

said sealing means having a U-shaped configuration arranged to fit over the periphery of a journal box opening, said sealing means having a plurality of resilient projections arranged to extend interiorly of a journal box to secure said sealing means in position, a plurality of forwardly projecting resilient ear portions arranged to engage and resiliently retain a journal box lid in closed position, and a pair of ear portions integrally formed on the sealing means and lid holder-construction arranged to be engaged by the journal box lid retaining means.

6. In combination, a journal box having an opening, a cover for said opening pivotally connected to said journal box, a sealing means interposed between saidjournal box and said cover, said sealing means having a portion engageable with the walls of the journal box surrounding said opening; a plurality oi flexible projections formed on the sealingmeans and arranged to engage interior abutments in said journal box, and means formed on said sealing means to resiliently engage and retain said cover in closed position.

'7. In combination, a journal box having an opening, a cover" for said opening pivotally connected to said journal box, a sealing means formed of sheet metal and interposed between said journal box and said cover, said sealing means having a U-shaped 'configuration'engageable with the walls of the journal box surrounding said opening; a plurality of resilient; projections formed on the sealing means and arranged o in closed position.

to engage interior abutments in said journal box, said. sealing means having a pair 01 exterior-1y projecting resilient ear portions arranged to engage and normall hold said journal box cover CLEON M. HANNAFORD. 

